Purchasing a new PC

[PaperScissorsStone]

I am looking to purchase a new PC and I would very much appreicate some graphics card opinions.

The specs are... it is a Dell XPS Desktop...

- Intel® Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600 (2.40GHz, 1066MHz, 8MB cache)
- Vista Home Premium
either - 3072MB 1067 MHz DDR3 SDRAM... or... - 4096MB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM
either - 750GB (7200rpm) HDD... or... 640GB (7200rpm) HDD

With regard to the Graphics card, the standard option is a 512MB ATI® Radeon? 4850 Graphics card. I have been reading and whilst this looks like a very good card a few aspects concern me... its running temperature for example.

I have always bought Nvidia cards in the past so I am hoping Dell will swap it for a Geforce equivalent.

With the other PC specs listed, which card would you recommend best suit? Im a 3D artist so I use Maya, Photoshop alot, and of course I want to play the latest games as well as I can. I am not looking to purchase the fastest card for the sake of it, I am looking for someting that is good value for money and would make the most out of my system.

I have searched the forum and by god.. its baffling

Regards

 

[Denithor]

Buy an OEM with the lowest possible (or no) video card and install your own. Much better price that way. Yesterday I was helping a woman with a system spec at HP and they wanted $250 for a 9800GT. Seriously. When they are available for $110 after a $20MIR.

Same with RAM. Get the lowest available (typically 2GB) and throw in a pair of 2GB sticks, taking your total to 6GB for about $50 (which is what they will charge you to increase from 2GB to 4GB). Just make sure you go with Vista 64.

 

[happy medium]

If you want them to install the video card and you don't care to pay extra, get a 9800gtx+. It's about equal to a 4850.


Denithors option is cheaper though.

Edit:Make sure they give you a power supply that will run a 4850 if you decide to buy your own video card and install it yourself.